Method of and apparatus for abrasive peeling

ABSTRACT

A peeling apparatus is disclosed which comprises a rotatable drum having an abrasive surface therein, a product-moving means disposed therein consisting of circular, segmental plates mounted about a said drum, and a helical plate disposed between the segmental plates to convey the product from one compartment to the other. A water jet is provided to maintain the abrasive surface in a clean condition.

rte tes atent 11 1 1111 3,757,677

Brady et a1. 1 1 Sept. 11, 1973 [54] METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR 3,134,413 5/1964 Dorsa et al. 1. 146/49 A ABRASIVE pEELING 2,424,803 7/1947 De Back 146/49 A 958,812 5/l9l0 Judge 134/104 Inventors: Kenneth .l y, 6870 Crows 1,793,246 2/1931 Philips 134/104 ux Landing Rd., Ceres, Calif.; Edward L. Catalina, deceased, late of 64 Whittier MiiPitaS, Calif- 95035 Primary Examiner willie G. Abercrombie by Doris M. Catalina, administratrix p Fihe 22 Filed: Nov. 23, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 201,577

Related US. Application Data ABSTRACT [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 877,974, Nov. 19, 1969,

abandoned. A peeling apparatus is disclosed which comprises a rotatable drum having an abrasive surface therein, a pro- [52] 11.8. C1 99/630, 134/104, 134/148 duct-moving means disposed therein consisting of cir- [51] Int. Cl A2311 7/00 cular, segmental plates mounted about a said drum, [58] Field of Search 146/49 A, 50 R, 241; and a helical plate disposed between the segmental 134/104, 148 plates to convey the product from one compartment to the other. A water jet is provided to maintain the abra- [56] References Cited sive surface in a clean condition.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 854,258 5/1907 Weber 146/50 R 5 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures Patented Sept. 11, 1973 3,757,677

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 f1 g 1 10 3 I4 *1 f? 5 I" I a I k 1 60 5v n \l\, 5:} k I v ,56

\LL/l/l/l/ll/l/ 38 o 52 INVENTORS 64 EDWARD L. CATALINA 62. 50 I KENNETH JOHN BRADY 48 BY F1 'g 2 Mi ELY-3Q PATENT AGENT Patented Sept. 11, 1973 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 PATENT AGE NT l METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR ABRASIIVE FEELING This is a continuation, of application Ser. No. 877,974, filed Nov. 19, 1969.

The present invention relates generally to the art of abrasive peeling and more particularly relates to a method of and apparatus for the abrasive peeling of food products such as fruits or vegetables.

Various forms of abrasive peelers have been used for some time where substantial amounts of the products are to be peeled. Obviously, the effectiveness of the abrasive peeling technique requires first, that the product to be peeled be maintained in intimate contact with the abrasive surface; and second, that the abrasive surface itself be maintained in an effective condition.

Since large quantities of producs are to be handled,

certain difficulties have been experienced in bringing each individual'product from the center of a mass into contact with the abrasive surface to meet the first 'condition. With regard to the second condition, it is known that the abrasive surface gradually wears so that the replacement'thereof is necessary, yet such replacement has been attended by considerable practical difficulty. Of yet more significance, when certain products, such as potatoes, are being peeled a thin layer of abraded particles including a starch constituent builds up on the abrasive surface to thus reduce its effectiveness and extreme difficulties have been experienced in maintaining such surface in a cleansed condition requisite for a high degree of peeling efficiency.

Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide an abrasive peeling method and apparatus which assures the requisite contact with the abrading surface and moreover permits such surface to be maintained in an effective abrasive condition at all times. a

More particularly, it is a feature of the invention to provide an abrasive peeling method and apparatus wherein the abrasive surface is-cleansed continuously during the peeling-operation by the sweeping action of a solid stream or jet of water directed thereover at a shallow angle.

More particularly, it is a feature of the invention to provide an abrasive peeling method and apparatus wherein the product is moved across an abrasive surface in one direction and a cleansing jet of water is directed thereacross in substantially the opposite direction so as to separate abraded particles from the peeled product.

Additionally, it is a feature of the invention to provide an abrasive peeling apparatus including a hollow, generally cylindrical drum having an interior abrasive surface conjoined with a novel mechanism for moving the product to be peeled through such drum in a manner such that the maximum exposure of the product to the abrasive surface is assured.

A related feature of the invention is the provision of a peeling apparatus wherein the amount of exposure of the product to the abrasive surface can be effectively controlled to in turn accurately control the amount of material removed from the surface of the product.

A related feature is the provision of such control mechanism which permits effective operational use of I the apparatus for handling relatively small or relatively large quantities of the product to be handled with substantially equal effectiveness.

it is another important feature of the invention to provide a peeling apparatus including an abrasive drum which can be readily removed from the apparatus to facilitate replacement of the abrasive surface as required.

These as well as other objects and features of the invention will be more apparent from a perusal of the description of the method of abrasive peeling which immediately follows and the subsequent description of an exemplary apparatus for carrying out such method.

Very generally, the method of the invention involves exposing the product to be peeled to an abrasive surface so that relative motion therebetween occurs and, as a consequence, the surface of the product is abraded to effect removal of the skin portion or outer layer thereof. During such abrasive peeling action, a solid jet of water is directed onto the abrasive surface at a relatively shallow angle, thus to generally effect a sweeping of such surface to remove the abraded particles, wherefore the abrasive surface is maintained in a cleansed condition so that continuing peeling effectiveness is retained over extended periods. Only a relatively small amount of water need be utilized. ln fact, a relatively small flow is preferred in that, while a small film of water is desired between the grit or other abrasive material forming the abrasive surface, the tops of such abrasive grit are to be left exposed for contact with the product to be peeled. The peaks of the abrasive grit material are constantly cleansed by exposure to the water jet which sweeps thereacross and any material which would otherwise lodge in the valleys between the abrasive grit will float on the thin film of water existing therebetween so as to preclude permanent accumulation in such valleys. Thus, both abraded material on the peaks of the abrasive grit and that floating on the thin water film existing in the valleys between the grit'peaks is exposed to the sweeping action of the shallow, angular jet for continuous cleaning.

Details of the method will be more readily understood by additional reference to the subsequent description of the mentioned exemplary apparatus as shown in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is .a central, vertical, longitudinal sectional view through a peeling apparatus embodying the present invention,

FIG. 2 is an elevational view, viewed from the left of FIG. 1, showing the discharge end of the apparatus,

FIG. 3 is a transverse, sectional view taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 1,

} FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view through an individual nozzle forming the requisite water jet,

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of a water spray unit, and

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the apparatus, showing the abrasive drum withdrawn to enable replacement of its interior abrasive surface.

With reference to such drawings, the exemplary apparatus embodying the present invention and capable of carrying out the method as generally described hereinabove includes a main frame 10 composed of upright supporting members 12, each preferably taking the form of an inverted U, and joined at the top and sides by longitudinally extending braces 14. Rigidly secured to one end of the frame 10 is a hopper 16 of generally cylindrical configuration but open at; the top to provide an entrance 118 for the product to be peeled. One side,

that appearing at the left in FIG. I, is open to provide for egress of the product to be peeled from the hopper 16 into an abrasive drum 20, also of cylindrical configuration but of slightly greater diameter so that when operatively supported as shown in FIG. 1, the entrance end of the drum 20 encompasses the exit end of the cylindrical hopper 16 to provide a slight telescopic overlap of the two elements. Consequently, a slight annular space as indicated at 22 is provided through which cleansing water and entrained abraded particles can be exhausted into an encompassing annular compartment 24 rigidly secured to the hopper l6 and having a drain opening 26 adjacent its lower end.

The cylindrical drum 20 is supported in the described position and for rotation on two drive belts 30 which engage annular rims 32 adjacent opposite ends of the drum, such rims being preferably provided with a roughened exterior surface to provide excellent frictional contact with the drive belts. Each of the belts 30, as best shown in FIG. 3, constitutes an endless belt trained about pulleys 34, 36 keyed to parallel shafts 38, 40 below and at opposite sides of the drum wherefore supporting and driving contact with the under surface of the drum 20 is provided through an arcuate extent of approximately 90. The parallel shafts 38, 40 extend substantially the entire length of the drum 20 to support the pulleys for both belts at opposite extremities thereof and are themselves supported for rotation in suitable bearings 42, 44 secured to a flat, open frame 46 which centrally supports a drive motor 48, as best shown in FIG. 2 which is drivingly connected to both of the parallel shafts 38, 40 by corresponding belt and pulley arrangements 50, 52 so as to drive the drum 20 in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 3.

On opposite sides of the flat drum-supporting frame 46, adjacent one end thereof, a pair of wheels 54, 56 are mounted for engagement with rails 58, 60 extending longitudinally of the main frame and rollers 62, 64 are mounted on the interior of the main frame 10 at its opposite extremity or, in other words, remote from the described hopper 16 to provide rolling support for the opposite sides of the drum-supporting frame 46. As a consequence, the drum-supporting frame 46 takes the form of a carriage or drawer which may be withdrawn from the main frame 10 as clearly shown in FIG. 6. In this latter position, the drum can be lifted from its supporting belts 30 for replacement of abrasive grit material on its interior surface or other repair as required. When the movable carriage frame 46 is inserted to support the drum in its operative position as shown in FIG. 1, a pair of releasable stops 66 are pivoted into the illustrated position adjacent the sides of the rims 32 at opposite ends thereof to retain the drum 20 in such position and, more particularly, in proper operative relationship with the described hopper 16.

In order to move potatoes or other products to be peeled from the hopper 16 through the abrasive drum 20, a novel form of product-moving means is provided. More particularly, such product-moving means takes the form of a hollow shaft 70 which is supported at its one extremity in a bearing 72 carried on the sidewall of the hopper l6 and at its other end by another bearing the cylindrical drum 20, thus forming in effect three compartments 80, 82, 84, the first being within the hopper l6 and the other two being within the abrasive drum, itself. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that a smaller or larger number of compartments may be desired for particular peeling applications.

Each of the circular plates 76 actually constitutes a circular segment of approximately 270 thus providing a circular segmental opening 78 of approximately 90 to provide communication between the respective adjacent compartments. The segmental openings 78 are substantially aligned and a helical plate 86 of righthand pitch is secured to the central shaft and extends through each compartment from one edge of one of the aligned openings 78 to the remote edge of the opening at the opposite end of that particular compartment. The entire structure is rotated in a counterclockwise direction as viewed from is entrance end or as indicated by the arrow A" in FIG. 3 wherefore the potatoes or other product to be peeled in a given compartment are discharged into the next compartment through the segmental opening 78 during the occurence of a single revolution.

Preferably such rotation is provided by chain and sprocket connection 88 joining the projecting end of the hollow shaft 70 to a drive motor 90 mounted on the under side of the hopper 16 as shown in FIG. 1 and a suitable electrical timing mechanism 92 of a conventional nature is arranged to start and stop the drive motor intermittently and more particularly for a predetermined and selected interval upon the completion of each single revolution. The product-moving means is arranged to stop substantially at the position shown in FIG. 1 wherein the segmental openings 78 are directed upwardly and the food products in a particular compartment are retained therewithin for the selected time period to permit continued exposure thereof to the abrasive surface of the drum 20 sufficiently long to achieve the requisite peeling action. After such requisite period of exposure to the abrasive surface in a compartment has been completed, the timing mechanism 92 actuates a single revolution of the product-moving means which in turn results in delivery of the products in a given compartment through the segmental opening 78 into the next compartment to the left as viewed in FIG. 1, the product in the final compartment 84 being exhausted therefrom through a suitable sloping discharge chute 94 mounted on the described carriage frame 46. Preferably such single revolution is relatively rapid, requiring no more than about four seconds.

In accordance with the described method of the invention, the interior abrasive surface of the drum 20 is constantly cleansed during the peeling operation. More particularly, with continued reference to FIG. 1 and additional specific reference to FIG. 4, small tubes 96 are joined to the central hollow shaft 70 and project radially outward adjacent the two plates 76 at the exit ends of the two compartments 82, 84 within the abrasive drum 20 and immediately behind the helical plate 86 relative to its direction of rotation. At its outer end, each tube carries one or more nozzles 98 as illustrated in detail in FIG. 4, which is directed generally longitudinally of the drum 20 toward the entrance end thereof. Accordingly, water delivered from a suitable inlet pipe 100 passes through the hollow shaft 70 and the tubes 96 and nozzles 98 and is directed as a substantially solid jet against the surface of the abrasive grit on the drum interior, thus sweeping all abraded particles from such surface toward the entrance end of the drum 20, or in other words, in a direction opposite to the movement of the products through the drum. The water and entrained abrasive particles move through the annular space 22 at the entrance end of the drum into the annular compartment 24 surrounding the exit end of the hopper l6 and then drop downwardly through the described drain opening 26 at the bottom thereof. Thus, an effective separation of the peeled product and the abraded particles is assured.

When the product moving means is stationary in the FIG. 1 position, the jet of water is directed along the surface of the rotating drum at an upper position where it is not engaged by the product thus to clean the abrasive surface of the drum 20 continuously. In turn, when the product-moving means is rotated to move the product from one compartment to another, the jet of water is directed along the abrasive surface free of the product since the latter is being moved by the helical plate 86 immediately in advance of the jet.

Preferably, additional nozzles 99 as shown in FIG. 5 are secured in the hollow shaft 70 so as to direct a spray of water outwardly into contact with the product in the compartments $2, M to enhance the peeling action.

In order to enable withdrawal of the drum 20 for repair or replacement as previously mentioned and as illustrated in FIG. 6, the bearing 74 on the carriage frame 46 which supports one end of the hollow shaft 70 has a tapered bearing surface (not shown) to enable axial removal thereof from its rotative support of such end of the shaft. Additionally, three small rollers 101 are supported at 120 intervals on the final circular plate 76 on the rotary shaft 70 so that upon withdrawal of the. bearing 74 from the end of the shaft 70, support of the shaft and the structure mounted thereon is transferred to these rollers 11011 which in turn are supported by the encompassing drum. As the carriage frame 46 is withdrawn in the manner previously described, continued contact between the rollers 101 and the interior surface of the axially-moving drum 26 is maintained until the drum is almost fully withdrawn.

At this time, an alternate temporary-supporting means for the released end of the shaft 70 is provided in the form of a stirrup 102 supported at one extremity of a rod 10d pivotally carried on a transverse rod 103 on the movable frame 46 and normally held in a horizontal position below the drum 20 as shown in FIG. 1 by a suitable spring 106 tensioned between this rod and the frame 46. However, as substantially complete withdrawal of the carriage frame is achieved, a cam 108 on the main frame 10 is engaged by a follower ms on the rod 104 to swing the latter to a vertical position as shown in FIG. 6 so that the stirrup 102 comes into supporting contact with the released end of the hollow shaft 70. When the carriage frame 46 is reinserted sufficiently to bring one end of the drum 20 into encompassing relationship with the rollers llll on the circular plate 76, the follower llllfi is withdrawn from contact with the cam 108 and the spring 106, in turn, effects withdrawal of the rod 102 from its vertical disposition as shown in FlG. 6 to its inoperative horizontal disposition as shown in FIG. ll.

To instigate operation of the unit, power is supplied to the drive motor 43 for the drum 20 so that the same rotates continuously in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 3. The water supply is connected so that a jet of water is directed longitudinally of the abrasive surface of the rotating drum 20 toward the drain compartment 2d at its entrance end. initially, the product moving means will be in the position illustrated in FIG. 1 with the segmental openings 7% in the circular plates 76 directed upwardly, and food products, such as potatoes, can be delivered manually or otherwise into the hopper 16 in a desired quantity. Preferably, the amount supplied to the hopper compartment fill should be limited so that the level achieved is substantially no higher than the hollow shaft centrally disposed therewithin. The timing mechanism 92 is now energized so that a single revolution of the product-moving means occurs whereupon the potatoes in the hopper compartment are delivered through the segmental opening 78 in the first plate 76 as such segmental opening passes under its upporting shaft 7t), the helical plate 36 effectively discharging potatoes from the hopper compartment 80 through such opening into the adjacent compartment 32 within the abrasive drum 20. Rotation of the product-moving means is automatically stopped when the segmental openings 78 are once again at the position illustrated in FIG. 1 where such openings are directed upwardly and no product can pass from one compartment to its neighbor. The product-moving means is stopped for an interval sufficiently long to permit the desired amount of abrasion of the potatoes or other food product. Obviously, only a partial peeling occurs in the second compartment 82 and after a second revolution of the product-moving means, the peeling is completed in the third compartment 84. The interval of peeling between revolutions of the product-moving means is obviously set by observation of the peeled product finally emerging through the sloping discharge chute 94.

It will be apparent that if only one peeling compartment is utilized, a longer interval will be necessitated for the same product, while if greater production is required, a multiplicity of identical peeling compartments can be utilized to reduce the individual peeling interval and thus achieve greater production. Continuously, during the peeling operation, the water jet is directed at the shallow angle along the interior abrasive surfaces of the drum 20 to effect an entrainment of the abraded particles with the water into the drain compartment 24. Since this cleansing action is directed along the drum 20 towards its entrance end, an effective separation between the abraded particles and the emergent peeled product is assured.

Various modifications and alterations in the method and structure as described hereinabove can be envisioned without departing from the spirit of the invention and the foregoing description is accordingly considered purely as exemplary and not in a limiting sense. The actual scope of the invention is to be indicated only by reference to the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

11. An abrasive peeling apparatus which comprises a generally cylindrical drum mounted for rotation about a substantially horizontal axis and having an interior abrasive surface and means for moving the product to be peeled through said drum including at least two generally segmented spaced parallel plates having a sloping partition therebetween mounted for rotation coaxially of said drum.

carriage at its remote end. 4. An abrasive peeling apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said drum is supported for rotation on its undersurface alone whereby it can be lified from said carriage.

5. An abrasive peeling apparatus according to claim 3 which comprises means automatically operative upon release of support of the remote end of said product moving means from said carriage to provide temporary support thereof from said frame.

is a a: is 4: 

1. An abrasive peeling apparatus which comprises a generally cylindrical drum mounted for rotation about a substantially horizontal axis and having an interior abrasive surface and means for moving the product to be peeled through said drum including at least two generally segmented spaced parallel plates having a sloping partition therebetween mounted for rotation coaxially of said drum.
 2. Abrasive peeling apparatus according to claim 1 which comprises means for rotating said product moving means intermittently.
 3. An abrasive peeling apparatus which comprises a main frame, a carriage mounted on said frame for longitudinal motion, a generally cylindrical drum having an interior abrasive surface mounted for rotation on said carriage, a rotary product moving means interior of said drum supported for rotation from said frame at one end and releasably supported for rotation from said carriage at its remote end.
 4. An abrasive peeling apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said drum is supported for rotation on its undersurface alone whereby it can be lifted from said carriage.
 5. An abrasive peeling apparatus according to claim 3 which comprises means automatically operative upon release of support of the remote end of said product moving means from said carriage to provide temporary support thereof from said frame. 